Who do you love?
by indiegal
Summary: Harry Potter/Cyrano de Bergerac crossover. Harry starts to like someone who turns out to be a bit different from what he originally thought. Who does he really like?
1. Introduction

Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this story. J.K. Rowling owns Harry, Dean, Seamus, Malfoy, Hermione, Ron, all the teachers and the other Harry Potter related stuff. Edmond Rostand owns Christian de Neuvillette.  
  
Rating: G – if needs be I'll put the rating up.  
  
Introduction  
  
Harry wandered down the Hogwarts Express, looking into all the compartment doors to see if either Ron or Hermione were here yet. About half way down the train, Harry peered into one of the compartment windows, and nearly gasped in shock. Sitting all on his own in the compartment Harry had just looked into, was the most gorgeous boy Harry had ever seen in his life. His blond, slightly wavy hair flopped into his eyes as he turned to see Harry staring in at him, and Harry noticed his eyes were an intense blue unlike anything he had ever seen before. He smiled at Harry, who smiled back then, regaining his senses, shook himself and carried on up the train to look for Ron and Hermione. He soon found them, and quickly forgot about the boy in all the excitement of catching up with his friends, neither of whom he had seen all summer due to Dumbledore's insisting that he stay with the Dursleys for the duration of the holiday.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Draco Malfoy stalked down the corridor of the Hogwarts Express, looking for Potter. As he strode purposefully down the train, Crabbe and Goyle bumping into each other behind him, he could hear laughter and excited jabbering coming from all the closed compartment doors, people chattering excitedly about what they had done in the holidays. Soon he found the three he was looking for and raised his hand to pull open the door. As he put his hand on the door handle, he froze. Potter had just flicked back his hair, laughing at something Weasley had said. He had let it grow longer over the summer, and it now hung just slightly into his eyes, covering up the scar. His green eyes glittered with amusement and his mouth curved into a smile. And it wasn't just his hair that had grown over the summer. He himself was taller and he looked more muscled, as though he had been working out. Draco felt a lurch somewhere in his abdomen and pulled his hand away from the door handle.  
  
"Let's go," he commanded briskly, and strode off, Crabbe and Goyle shuffling bemusedly behind him. 


	2. Chapter 2

1 Chapter 2  
  
The noise in the Great Hall diminished suddenly as Professor McGonagall led the new first years, all of whom looked incredibly frightened, up to the front of the hall. The sorting hat sat, as usual, on its stool just in front of the first years. Hermione tore her gaze away from Harry to watch.  
  
Suddenly, just as Professor McGonagall started to call out the names, Harry noticed the boy he had seen earlier standing at the end of the line, looking exactly like he had done earlier. Harry was startled. Surely this boy must be older than eleven? His thoughts were interrupted by the first new Gryffindor (Ball, Arthur) being welcomed to the Gryffindor table. He forgot about the new boy and concentrated on the sorting until after all the first years had been sorted and McGonagall stood up.  
  
"I'm sure all of you are wondering who the young man standing behind me is," she began.  
  
"Hell yeah," muttered Harry, but not loudly enough for any of his friends to hear him.  
  
"His name," continued McGonagall, " is Christian de Neuvillette. He is a transfer student from Beauxbatons and has decided that Hogwarts would be more to his liking. He will be joining the fifth year, but will be sorted in the conventional fashion."  
  
Harry's stomach gave a jolt. The gorgeous blond boy, who he now knew to be called Christian, was in his year. Now all he needed to do was get sorted into Gryffindor. Harry crossed his fingers.  
  
Christian wandered towards the stool, and sat down with the hat on his head. The hall waited in silence for a moment, with Harry on the edge of his seat in anticipation. The hat opened the slit near the brim.  
  
"Slytherin!" it shouted. Harry fell backwards off his seat in surprise and landed with a thud, making the whole of the hall turn and look at him. Slightly red in the face, he got up and sat back down at his place, staring at his food and ignoring the people laughing at him. How could Christian be in Slytherin? He seemed so nice. Still, thought Harry, the hat had wanted to put him in Slytherin too, so maybe it had made the same mistake. Christian might not have known about Slytherin's reputation, and therefore not asked not to be put there. Yes, that had to be it. Feeling more cheerful, he sat up and joined in with the general chatter at the Gryffindor table, occasionally catching Christian's eye and smiling slightly, not remotely aware that Christian's were not the only pair of eyes that were watching him from the Slytherin table.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Draco Malfoy sat at his seat at the Slytherin table, watching Harry Potter across the hall. Potter really is incredibly good looking, mused Draco. It's a pity he thinks I'm so evil, otherwise I might ask him out. But I can't do that, he's much too good for me. Trust me to like the most popular, good-looking boy in the school. He could never like me. Draco got up and walked out of the hall, closely followed by Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy Parkinson.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Christian sat on his own at the end of the Slytherin table. He watched the boy with the black hair, emerald eyes and glasses at the Gryffindor table chatting with his friends, laughing, and looking at him. When he got up, Christian waited a second, then walked up to two of the boys who had been sitting with his dark haired boy at the Gryffindor table.  
  
"Excuse me," he said politely. The two boys turned to face him, and an expression of disgust crossed the face of one of them as he realised he was talking to a Slytherin.  
  
"Seamus!" muttered the other, then turned back to Christian. "Yes?" he said, in a voice that showed quite clearly he was trying very hard to conceal his prejudice.  
  
"Who is that boy over there?" asked Christian, pointing to the dark haired boy, who was now climbing the stairs with one of his friends. He had a low voice with just a hint of a French accent to it.  
  
"Him?" replied the boy Christian was talking to, with an expression of disbelief on his face. "That's Harry Potter!"  
  
"Harry Potter," repeated Christian. "Who's that with him?"  
  
"Hermione Granger. The cleverest witch in our year. She's one of his best friends, and hopelessly in love with him."  
  
"Oh, she is, is she?" muttered Christian angrily, reaching for his wand.  
  
"Leave it!" warned the boy. "She's no threat, we're pretty sure Harry's gay. You like him then?" he questioned, upon seeing the grin on Christian's face.  
  
"Oh, definitely!" exclaimed Christian. "He's… he's…"  
  
"Gorgeous?" suggested the boy. "Well, he's single anyway."  
  
"Thanks," breathed Christian, unable to take his eyes off Harry. "I guess I'll see you around then.. erm.."  
  
"Dean, Dean Thomas," filled in the other boy. "And this is Seamus Finnegan," he added, pointing to his now scowling friend.  
  
"Right," muttered Christian, nodding. "Bye then." He walked off, murmuring "Harry Potter" under his breath and wondering how on earth he was going to find his dormitory. 


	3. Chapter 3

1 Chapter 3  
  
Draco sat at the back of the potions classroom, watching Harry across the room. He didn't hear what Snape was saying about truth potions, or see Crabbe and Goyle attempting to figure out which way to hold Draco's new double-ended quill. All he saw was Harry.  
  
Harry was sitting on the other side of the room with Ron and Hermione, gazing at Christian, who was gazing back at him. He jumped as the bell rang, wrote down the homework that Snape had set them and packed up his stuff. Hermione sprinted off to the library, much to the disgust of Ron, but Harry was glad. This was just the opportunity he had been waiting for. He wanted to tell Ron something.  
  
Draco followed Potter and Weasley out of the classroom, walking a little way behind them. He was about to make a cutting remark when Potter spoke.  
  
"Ron?" That's strange, thought Draco, he sounds really unsure, frightened even.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Would you be ok with it if I was gay?" Draco's mouth nearly hit the floor. He walked quicker to keep up with Potter and Weasley, making sure he was still far enough behind not to be noticed.  
  
"Sure." Silence.  
  
"Ron?"  
  
"Yeah?" Weasley sounded bored now.  
  
"I like someone."  
  
"Oh?" The interest was back, slightly.  
  
"And I think he likes me too."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"But he's in… he's in Slytherin." Draco's heart jumped.  
  
"Oh?" Weasley suddenly sounded cold, and slightly angry, but as if he was trying to hide it.  
  
"Someone in our year in Slytherin." Draco could hardly contain his excitement.  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"He's perfect, blond hair, gorgeous intense eyes, a great body and he's been really nice to me."  
  
Draco's heart plummeted. Potter hadn't been talking about him. How could he have been? He had shown nothing at all about himself that anyone other than that stupid slut Pansy could find remotely attractive.  
  
"Who is he?" he heard Weasley say, curiosity overpowering his animosity towards Slytherins.  
  
"Christian de Neuvillette," Harry said in a breathless rush. Typical, thought Draco. The gorgeous new boy who he hasn't even said one word to.  
  
"But Harry," said Weasley, voicing Draco's thoughts, "You haven't even spoken to him!!"  
  
"Oh, I know, but the way he smiled at me, and he's so gorgeous.." Harry trailed off into a happy sigh. Draco felt his heart sink even lower.  
  
"Yes, but he might be thicker than Crabbe or Goyle!" Weasley pointed out. Draco stifled a snigger. He had a point there; Crabbe and Goyle were notoriously stupid.  
  
"I know he isn't!" Potter said stubbornly, crossing his arms over his chest. Weasley sighed. "Ron?"  
  
"Yeah?" Draco really didn't envy Weasley, having to listen to all this.  
  
"What happens if he's a really nice guy, and the Slytherins don't like him for that? What'll they do to him?"  
  
Potter had a point there, Draco thought. The Slytherins, well, much as he hated to admit it, they weren't a very nice lot. If Christian was too nice, and looked like he was on good terms with the Gryffindors, he'd probably lose all his good looks and end up looking like Crabbe or Goyle. Draco couldn't wish that on anyone.  
  
"I wish he'd talk to me, or just owl me, and tell me how he feels!"  
  
Draco wandered away from Potter and Weasley. He had heard enough to decide what he was going to do. As disappointed as he was about Potter not liking him, he had enough decency left in him to want to make him happy. He started heading back up to the castle, away from the lake where he had left the two boys. He didn't have to go far. He found what he was looking for just outside the castle.  
  
"Christian? Could I have a word?" 


	4. Chapter 4

1 Chapter 4  
  
Christian turned around and looked at Draco with a puzzled expression on his face.  
  
"If you want to," he replied. Draco swallowed his frustration at the other boy's stupidity.  
  
"I overheard him earlier," he began, but was interrupted.  
  
"Who?" said Christian, still looking befuddled.  
  
"Him, you know.. him?" said Draco, almost laughing out loud at the expression of realisation that slowly grew over Christian's face.  
  
"Oh my god! Him?" he said incredulously. "And you.. and you.."  
  
"I overheard everything," said Draco, trying not to sound too impatient.  
  
"He likes.. he likes.. he likes me?"  
  
"Of course. He expects an owl from you tonight." Draco, having expected Christian to be happy about this, was surprised when Christian's face fell and he dropped onto a log with his head in his hands.  
  
"Oh no!"  
  
"Erm, Christian?" He looked up. "That's a bad thing because…?" Draco waited for Christian to fill in the gap.  
  
"I'm so stupid!" Christian eventually cried in an anguished voice. "If I owl him he'll realise that and he won't like me anymore! You're clever; I wouldn't expect you to understand! I wish I had your brains," he added bitterly. A thought occurred to Draco.  
  
"Well why not borrow them?" Draco could have predicted the look of confusion on Christian's face, but was so absorbed in his idea he didn't feel the need to laugh.  
  
"I don't think I quite.." Christian began. Draco cut him off.  
  
"Harry likes you. Harry wants you to owl him. You don't think you can do that. Why not get someone else to do it for you?"  
  
"I still don't quite…"  
  
"Ok. I'll put it simply. I'll write letters. You sign them. Harry thinks they're from you. Everyone's happy." Except me, thought Draco.  
  
"I think I see! You write letters to Harry from me!" Draco thought a light bulb wouldn't look out of place on top of Christian's head.  
  
"That's right. Now, I'm going to go up to the dorm to get started on your first letter. I'll give it to you later to sign, alright?" Without waiting for an answer from Christian, he strode off, wondering why on earth he had done what he did and what his father would think if he knew.  
  
Christian set off happily for the library to get started on the potions essay he knew would take him at least three hours longer to do it than anyone else. Draco was going to write letters to Harry from him, so Harry would continue to like him. Things just didn't get better than this!! 


	5. Chapter 5

1 Chapter 5  
  
Draco stood behind Potter and Weasley, attempting to disguise his interest in the magical creature standing in front of him, namely Potter, and look bored by the whole lesson, including the phoenix Hagrid had borrowed from Dumbledore for the lesson.  
  
"His name is Fawkes," Hagrid was saying, but Draco couldn't pay attention. Neither, it seemed, could Potter or Weasley, because they seemed to be discussing something Potter was holding. This was strange for them, as they usually paid attention in Care of Magical Creatures just to show support for Hagrid, regardless of whether the lesson was actually interesting or not. He strained to hear what they were saying.  
  
"..sent me another letter last night," Potter was saying. Ah. So that's what they were talking about.  
  
"What was this one like?" asked Weasley.  
  
"Oh, like the others. An exquisite work of art. He has such talent, I don't think even he know how much his letters affect me! Of course, he's still shy when we meet in public, and hardly ever says anything. But I'm going to change that soon. I've owled him, asking him to meet me in the grounds tonight. I'm hoping that if we're alone together, he should be able to talk like he does in his letters."  
  
After the lesson, Draco hurried to find Christian. He found him in the library, attempting to do his history of magic homework. The fact that Hermione saw Christian in the library so often had only reinforced Harry's view that Christian was an intellectual, and Harry believed that Christian spent the long hours he did in the library poring over old and difficult books. Draco knew this from all the eavesdropping he did on Potter and Weasley during the lessons they had together. Draco laughed at how wrong Harry had Christian figured in his mind.  
  
"Christian!" Draco hissed, and beckoned him outside when he looked up.  
  
"What is it?" asked Christian, looking vaguely worried and glancing around him.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me that you were meeting Harry tonight? I need to teach you your lines! And how to look intelligent," he added as an afterthought, as Christian's face morphed once more into a confused expression. Christian waited for a moment, then replied forcefully,  
  
"No!"  
  
"No? Oh come on Christian, he's going to suspect something if you go around looking.. oh, right," muttered Draco, colouring slightly as he realised his mistake. "Why on earth not?"  
  
"I'm feeling rebellious. Yes, I know I'm stupid, but I think I've spent long enough around you to know how to say some things! And who says we're going to be talking anyway?" he added slyly.  
  
Draco felt a rush of jealousy suddenly, but quickly suppressed it. He had, much as he hated to admit it, grown to quite like Christian, with his innocence and stupidity. Although he still wished he could be with Harry, telling Harry how he felt through Christian was second best.  
  
"Alright then," he agreed. "This is madness, but it's your choice I suppose. Good luck!" he added cheerily as he walked off. You're going to need it! he added privately to himself. 


	6. Chapter 6

1 Chapter 6  
  
Draco arrived early at the spot outside Gryffindor Tower that Harry had told Christian he would meet him at. Looking around, he found a conveniently placed tree that he hauled himself up into the branches of, hoping nobody would come along to see the usually cool, composed Draco Malfoy huffing and puffing as he tried to climb the tree. No sooner than he was up there, he heard footsteps.  
  
Pushing apart some of the branches, Draco could see a dark haired young man wearing glasses approaching the bench under the tree Draco was sitting in. Harry sat down on the bench and waited. A moment later, Christian appeared. Harry stood up.  
  
"Hi," he said, quietly.  
  
"Hi," replied Christian, not looking quite so certain that he could manage without Draco now he didn't have him. There was silence for a moment. Both boys sat down on the bench.  
  
"Talk to me, Christian," said Harry, in a voice full of expectancy.  
  
"Erm… what about?" said Christian, a note of panic just audible in his voice. Harry didn't seem to notice. Instead, he seemed amused.  
  
"Why, love of course!" replied Harry, gazing into the stars. Draco wanted to giggle. He looked so cute when he did that. Draco thought Harry was acting a bit like an old-fashioned muggle woman himself, from the films he'd seen on his muggle television. He stuffed his fist into his mouth to stop himself laughing at the idea of Harry dressed up in Elizabethan muggle women's dress. When he had composed himself, he looked back down at the bench. Evidently, nobody had yet said anything.  
  
After about a minute, Christian spoke.  
  
"I love you," he said. Draco's heart gave a jolt. I love you too Harry, and I can be so much better for you than Christian could…  
  
His thoughts were interrupted by Harry.  
  
"And?" prompted Harry.  
  
"I love you!" said Christian. Draco winced.  
  
"Carry on!" said Harry, sounding slightly impatient.  
  
"I love you… so much!" Draco nearly died.  
  
"Slightly better.." said Harry, now sounding slightly sulky.  
  
"I'd like you to love me back! Do you love me?" asked Christian, rounding on Harry.  
  
"I won't love you if you carry on like this!" Harry remarked, sounding very like Professor McGonagall. "Talk like you do in your letters, or I'm going!"  
  
Christian looked shocked.  
  
"Please Harry, don't go, I…"  
  
"I know, you love me, now I'm going! Leave me alone!"  
  
Harry stormed off towards the castle doors, leaving Christian sitting by himself on the bench, his head in his hands. Draco started to jump down from the tree. Christian jumped, until Draco landed, looking slightly dishevelled by the leaves, but otherwise all right.  
  
"Well done!" he remarked in a tone dripping with sarcasm. "I'm so glad to see that you don't need me anymore!" He started to head off in the direction Harry had gone.  
  
"Wait, Draco! You can't just leave me here, I need you to help me!"  
  
Draco raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Please?" ventured Christian.  
  
"Oh all right then!" exclaimed Draco. "What I need to do is.."  
  
"Wait!" interrupted Christian, putting his arm on Draco's. "Look!" He pointed up towards the tower, where a light had just come on. "Isn't that Harry's room?" Draco looked. An idea popped into his mind.  
  
"Wait there for a moment," he said, "I'll be right back." 


	7. Chapter 7

1 Chapter 7  
  
Five minutes later, Draco was back, carrying two broomsticks. In the dim light, Christian could just about tell that they were his and Draco's. Before Christian could even start to get confused, Draco handed him a broom and started to explain.  
  
"We both get on the brooms," he started, speaking in short sentences so that Christian could understand. " We fly up to Harry's window, on the brooms. You hover just outside his window. I hover near you, out of his sight, and whisper the words to you that you have to say. Harry thinks you're a poetic genius." Draco finished with a little self-satisfied smile, forcing himself not to think of the downside.  
  
"I see!" cried Christian. Getting on their brooms, both boys pushed off the ground and flew up to the level of Harry's window. Draco positioned himself just next to Harry's window, out of Harry's line of view, and Christian hovered in front and slightly below it. Draco nodded to Christian, who cleared his throat nervously.  
  
"Harry!" he whispered urgently. There was no reply.  
  
"Harry!" he said, a little louder. Harry's head appeared in the window.  
  
"Yes? Who is it?"  
  
"It's me!" said Christian, as if this would make all clear.  
  
"Who? I can't see in the darkness!"  
  
"Me, Christian! I need to speak to you!"  
  
"Oh, you," muttered Harry. "Well, if you speak as well as you did down there this shouldn't take long."  
  
"Oh please Harry, I don't know why I was so uninspired. Perhaps I was so enraptured by your beauty I couldn't think straight. The way your emerald eyes sparkle in the moonlight, showing the depths of your soul and more, can be so distracting, I just can't help myself."  
  
"Hmm…" murmured Harry, sounding intrigued and leaning his chin on his elbow. Christian grinned inwardly, how much he owed Draco for doing this he didn't know. Someday, he vowed, he would find a way to repay him. Draco was wildly waving his arms around and frantically mouthing the words that Christian should say.  
  
"Oh Harry, whenever I see you, my heart wants to break with love. I see you playing Quidditch, on your broom with your hair blowing back in the breeze, looking so natural. Such talent, I know not how you manage it! And then, when I pass you in a corridor, I can't keep my eyes on where I'm going, so I have to tread slowly."  
  
Harry giggled and switched the arms his chin was resting on.  
  
"Since you speak of slowly, though, why are you speaking like that? Pausing every few words?"  
  
In the shadows at the side of Harry's window, Christian saw Draco beckoning madly to him while mouthing the words "come here!"  
  
"One second, I …erm.. thought I saw something over there.." he muttered as he flew off towards Draco.  
  
"He's getting suspicious," Draco whispered urgently. "Stay here, I'll go out and talk to him, he won't notice the difference." Ignoring Christian's feeble protests, he sped out on his broom to where Christian had been before.  
  
"Sorry about that, I thought I saw Mrs Norris in the window," Draco said, thinking quickly. Harry shuddered.  
  
"It wasn't her?"  
  
"No, it wasn't. Don't worry, I can stay here as long as I like. Thank goodness for that, I don't want to leave. The chance to speak to you, in private and in secret, without even you seeing me here, is so rare."  
  
"Why don't you want to be seen by me?" asked Harry curiously.  
  
"When I am unseen," replied Draco, "I speak so much more fluently. I can't pass up the chance to tell you how beautiful you are without you seeing my face, or to tell you how much I love you. I adore you Harry, so much that I remember every single thing you do. I remember the look of concentration on your face as you play Quidditch, occasionally brushing a strand of hair back off your face without realising you're doing it. The first time I saw you play, I saw your face, your graceful posture everywhere I looked. I can't get you off my mind Harry, I think about you all day and all night. When I'm not with you, I count the minutes until I can be with you again. When I am, I dread the moment when I have to let you go." Looking up, Draco saw Harry's face gazing off into the stars, a dreamy lovesick look on his face and his heart squeezed hard in his chest. "I ask one thing of you, Harry,"  
  
"A kiss!" Christian interrupted. Draco whipped his head around to face Christian, and made a cut-throat motion with his hand across his neck, his eyebrows knitted in annoyance.  
  
"What?" asked Harry, jerked out of his trance.  
  
"Nothing," replied Draco, through gritted teeth.  
  
"You asked for a kiss, well of course you can have one! Come on up, the password's 'joke wand'. Don't ask," he added as an answer to the unspoken question about the password. "I'll meet you in the common room. We'd better just hope Hermione stays in the library all night, or I'm really done for." Draco almost laughed at the thought of a lovesick Hermione trailing around after Harry. It reminded him of Pansy.  
  
The window above Draco shut, and Harry disappeared. Draco and Christian descended to the ground and got off their brooms.  
  
"Right," said Draco in a business-like tone. "I take it you don't know the way to Gryffindor tower?" Christian shook his head mutely. "Follow me then!"  
  
Draco ran off towards the castle doors, leaving the brooms lying on the ground. He could deal with them later. Behind him, he could hear Christian panting as he tried to keep up with Draco's fast pace. Stopping to let him catch up, he turned around and saw Christian limping and wheezing towards him, his face bright red. Draco giggled slightly.  
  
"We'd better pause for a moment, you don't want Harry to see you like that, do you?"  
  
Christian rolled his eyes and sank to the floor, gasping for air. 


	8. Chapter 8

1 Chapter 8  
  
Once Draco had dropped Christian off at the Gryffindor entrance portrait, he started heading back towards the Slytherin rooms, his mind, as usual, on Harry. Thinking about how lucky Christian was to have him. Suddenly, something moving in the corner of his eye awoke him from his reverie. He snapped around in surprise, and almost crashed straight into Hermione Granger, heading back from the library with an armful of books.  
  
Hermione Granger. Now what was it that Harry had said about her?  
  
"We'd better just hope Hermione stays in the library all night, or I'm really done for."  
  
Draco stepped in front of Hermione.  
  
"Excuse me," she said, coldly. Draco cocked his head on one side and grinned at her. She looked a bit puzzled.  
  
"Excuse me, I really need to get past," she repeated, trying to sidestep round him. He got there first, however, and stood in her way, grinning like a Cheshire cat. Best put her off her guard, he thought. She sighed and looked up at him.  
  
"What do you want, Malfoy?" she asked, tiredly.  
  
"I thought we could have a bit of a chat, Hermione," he replied, in as friendly a tone as he could manage. He pretended not to notice Hermione's eyes widening in shock at the use of her first name. Putting an arm around her shoulders and taking a couple of her books, he steered her towards a step and sat them down on it. "I know I haven't been too nice to you in the past, but I don't really know you. I think we should get to know each other a bit better and then I can make an educated decision whether or not to call you a mudblood, alright?  
  
Hermione tried to stifle a giggle. It was obvious she was trying to look suspicious but Draco's strange sense of humour was getting to her.  
  
"Discovered any interesting charms?" he asked, indicating the very big, heavy, old-looking leather bound book he was holding.  
  
"Oh yes!" she started enthusiastically. Draco almost pitied her, he doubted that Harry or Weasley were at all interested in her discoveries.  
  
"I discovered about this charm that can make you flash neon pink and green alternately, and one that goes with it that makes you flash neon yellow and blue. I was going to try it on the Weasley twins," she added slyly. Draco laughed out loud, not realising how sneaky Hermione could be. When he stopped laughing, he noticed she was looking at him with an odd expression and realised that the laughter must have confused her. He didn't laugh often, he didn't allow himself to laugh, not a real laugh.  
  
For a further half hour, Draco sat talking with Hermione, and it surprised him how much he actually enjoyed talking to her. He didn't once have to remind himself that he was doing this for Harry, and only remembered why he was sitting here, when Christian, looking slightly hot and as if his clothes had been thrown on in a hurry, rushed out of the portrait hole.  
  
Draco and Hermione stood up together.  
  
"You!" shouted Hermione, her eyes flashing anger at Christian. "What were you doing in there?"  
  
"I, erm, I…" he stuttered, looking wildly from her to Draco, as if asking him for help.  
  
"I see," replied Hermione in the tone that she had first used on Draco that evening. "But, since all of us are here, we have to go and see Professor Dumbledore. I got so caught up talking with Malfoy I forgot all about it." Her cold tone was back when she talked to Draco. Obviously, she thought Draco had something to do with Christian being with Harry. Which was, come to think of it, absolutely true.  
  
"Wait here," Hermione ordered, going into the Gryffindor common room. Draco turned to Christian.  
  
"What happened?" he asked. "You took ages!"  
  
"Well," said Christian sheepishly, "we started off with a kiss, and then we just got a bit.. erm.. carried away.." He trailed off, looking at his shoes.  
  
" I see," said Draco, arching an eyebrow. His insides were burning. That should have been him with Harry. After all, he had done all the work. His thoughts were interrupted by Harry and Hermione climbing out of the Gryffindor portrait hole, both looking surly and not looking at the other.  
  
"Well, now that the whole happy party is here, what are we waiting for?" Draco remarked sarcastically. He was answered by sneers from all three of the others. "Fine then," he muttered, stalking off in the direction of Dumbledore's office, feigning sulkiness. Might as well fit in, he thought. 


	9. Chapter 9

1 Chapter 9  
  
The four students sitting in Dumbledore's office were in a state of shock. Harry and Christian had their hands clasped tightly together, and Hermione kept giving them dark looks. Draco would have thought it was sweet, if he hadn't been so jealous. He looked back at Dumbledore and listened to what he was saying.  
  
"Now, I know this has come as a great shock to you all. And once again, I must say that you do not have to go. There is a chance some of you, maybe all of you, will die." At this, Hermione gave a small gasp. "You are all students, and do not have to do this if you don't want to. However," there was a small pause, "If you do go, you four could be the deciding factor in this war. With you all on our side, we could succeed in pushing away the Dark Lord forever. Now.. will you fight?"  
  
For a moment, nobody moved. Then, very slowly, Harry nodded his head.  
  
"I'll do it, Professor." Draco looked at Harry. He seemed so mature for his age, and yet so innocent. Little innocent Harry. Draco couldn't bear for Harry to go into this without going too, so he nodded his head.  
  
"I will too, Professor."  
  
After a moment's pause, Hermione and Christian, after both looking at Harry and Draco for reassurance, both nodded their heads too, looking just as nervous as Draco felt.  
  
Dumbledore nodded gravely.  
  
"I'm very glad of it. You leave now. Please go and pack your trunks, and try not to wake up anyone else. I will inform the school of your departure tomorrow morning." With that, he stood up and walked to the door, holding it open for them. Slowly, looking as if they were condemned prisoners walking towards a gallows, they filed out of the door, Harry and Christian first, then Hermione, and finally Draco. 


	10. Chapter 10

1 Chapter 10  
  
Draco stood in the middle of the room, looking around. It had three single beds in it, and he envied Hermione getting a room to herself. He had to share with Harry and Christian, who were currently sitting on Harry's bed kissing like they'd just invented it. Still, thought Draco, at least he was close to Harry. He looked over at his bed on the other side of the room, and leaped onto it. The enormous creaking of springs as he landed made Harry and Christian jump away from each other. Draco would have laughed at the guilty looks on their faces if he hadn't been frowning. Why do I always get the worst beds? he thought.  
  
They were staying in a muggle hotel that was currently the headquarters for their side in the war. Unbeknownst to the elderly muggle who owned it, the hotel was filled with the best wizards and witches in the world, who had all flocked here to help wage the war against Voldemort and the Death Eaters.  
  
While Draco was lying on his back staring at the ceiling, Hermione poked her head around the door.  
  
"Meeting in room 305," she said shortly, then disappeared from view, shutting the door behind her. Obviously still upset by our 'betrayal,' Draco thought with amusement. After pulling apart Harry and Christian, who were too wrapped up with each other to notice Hermione, Draco walked out of the door, in search of room 305. 


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11  
  
Standing in the lift with Harry and Christian, Draco wondered why they had looked on all the floors except floor three for room 305. Now he thought about it, it was obvious which floor it should have been on.  
  
Suddenly, his ears pricked up at something Harry was saying behind him. For once, Harry and Christian weren't kissing and were having a conversation. At least he was here to intervene if Christian ran out of things to say, he thought.  
  
"I can't believe how some people are prejudiced against you just because you're a Slytherin!" Harry laughed. "Just because you're a Slytherin, it doesn't mean you're evil. Though I must admit, I thought it was wrong you were in Slytherin to start with. But know that I know you, and Draco as well, I know that not all Slytherins are evil. I can't believe I was that prejudiced. And it's strange how not many people know you're so talented! I mean, your owls are amazing." Draco started. "I don't know what I'd do without them, they inspire me so much. Whenever I'm feeling upset, I just have to read them and I feel better. They make even more of an impression upon me than your good looks!" Christian was looking disconcerted.  
  
"Really?" he asked warily.  
  
"Oh come on Christian, that's a compliment! It means I like you for the person you are inside, not what you look like. I wouldn't care if you looked like Professor Snape if you were still the same person inside!" Harry laughed at the idea, but Christian was looking unhappy. Draco's heart started to beat faster. Before he could pursue the idea any further, the lift stopped and Harry, who seemed in incredibly high spirits considering the circumstances, practically jumped out into the corridor. Shaking his head, Draco followed, Christian walking slowly behind, a thoughtful frown on his face. 


	12. Chapter 12

1 Chapter 12  
  
Seated in room 305, Draco looked around the room. There were quite a few wizards and witches in here, some of them he didn't know. Of course, there were some he did know as well. He recognised Remus Lupin, who had been the defence against the dark arts teacher at Hogwarts in his third year, and he recognised Mad-Eye Moody, who was supposed to have been the defence against the dark arts teacher in the fourth year, but had been replaced by one of Voldemort's servants. He also noticed Dumbledore's head sitting in the fire, and of course there were the three young wizards he had come with. Professor McGonagall was also there, sitting with Professor Snape in the corner of the room. Draco noticed him giving the dark haired man sitting next to Lupin glares not unlike the ones usually directed at Harry during their potions lessons. He was just going to ask Harry, who he was sitting next to him, who the man was, when Professor McGonagall banged on the table next to her.  
  
"Silence please!" she shouted. Everyone immediately stopped talking and looked at her. She gestured to Dumbledore, and all the heads in the room turned towards the fireplace.  
  
"Thank you, Minerva. I'm sorry I couldn't be here in person, but as you know I can't leave Hogwarts. I'd like to start our meeting by introducing everyone, as I'm sure you don't all know each other." There were a few murmurs of agreement.  
  
"Firstly," began Dumbledore, "I'm sure you all know me. The lady to my right is Minerva McGonagall." McGonagall gave one of her small, rare smiles.  
  
"The gentleman sitting next to her is Severus Snape." Snape nodded.  
  
"Over there we have Mundungus Fletcher and Arabella Figg." Both of them smiled nervously, looking around the room, and Arabella blushed when the dark haired man next to Lupin winked at her.  
  
"The four young people sitting next to the window are Harry Potter, Christian de Neuvillette, Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy." There were a few gasps at the word 'Malfoy,' and Draco thought he heard someone mutter 'Death Eater.' Obviously, Dumbledore heard it too and whipped his head around.  
  
"I assure you, Mr Moody," Dumbledore said, slightly coldly, "He is perfectly safe." Draco smiled at Dumbledore in gratitude, and the old man winked back. Mad-Eye Moody stared at his feet.  
  
"Lastly, the two men sitting by the bookcase are Remus Lupin and Sirius Black." Dumbledore was interrupted by an explosion of noise as a few of the people in the room shouted 'Sirius Black? Are you crazy?' and other such things. Then, to Draco's surprise, Harry stood up and banged on the desk. Everybody in the room turned to look at him, including Sirius who was looking slightly scared by all the people glaring at him.  
  
"I'd just like to say," started Harry, his voice wavering slightly, "that Sirius is completely innocent of the crimes he was accused of. Hermione and I met Peter Pettigrew, the man he supposedly killed, in our third year, as did Professor Snape.." Harry paused to throw a dark look in Snape's direction, who squirmed uneasily in his chair. "I also met Peter at the end of my fourth year, when he had gone back to Voldemort." Harry sat down again, ignoring the few people who had automatically flinched at the use of the name and smiling at Sirius, who nodded gratefully.  
  
"I think Mr Potter put that very well," broke in Dumbledore, "and I hope we won't have any silly prejudices about a man who is and always has been on our side." He cast a look over the room. "Now, down to business."  
  
"Tomorrow morning, the first battle against the Death Eaters takes place. All of you have volunteered to be there, with the exception of Minerva, who will be coordinating the battle from here, and Severus, who will be acting as a Death Eater, trying to break up their side from inside. We will meet back here to apparate to the site. I am familiar with the fact that some of you can't yet apparate," he said, looking at Hermione who was opening and closing her mouth like a fish and wriggling on her chair, "and a Portkey will be provided for them and anyone else who does not wish to apparate." Draco looked worriedly at Harry, knowing of his fear of Portkeys ever since he had been taken to Voldemort by one at the end of his fourth year. He looked a little pale, but determined. Draco sighed. Tomorrow he was probably going to die, and he had never told Harry how he felt. Draco looked back up at Dumbledore.  
  
"Now, any questions?" he was saying. When nobody replied, he carried on. "Very well then. Good luck." He nodded gravely, then disappeared with a pop. The people in the room got up quietly, looking very subdued. Harry went over to talk to Sirius and Remus, while Draco, Christian and Hermione walked out of the room, Hermione stalking off ahead. Christian caught Draco by the sleeve.  
  
"Draco," he started uncertainly. Draco sighed.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Well, you know we're probably going to die tomorrow?" he looked up at Draco, who didn't reply. No point in upsetting him further, he thought. "Well, I'd like to send Harry one last owl, in case he doesn't die and I do. Could you write me just one more letter?" Christian looked so downcast that Draco couldn't refuse.  
  
"Of course I will," he replied, smiling and putting a hand on Christian's arm. "What would you like it to say?" 


	13. Chapter 13

1 Chapter 13  
  
Draco shivered as the biting cold swept through him. He asked himself again why he was doing this, and came up with the same answer as usual. It wasn't for him; it was for the rest of the wizarding world. It was to pay back the world for some of the things his father had done. He looked around him. Everyone else was looking gloomy, as if they knew they were just about to die. Christian and Harry were sitting in silence, holding hands and staring into space. Sirius was pacing, and all the others he knew were standing in a huddle. He could see other wizards he didn't know, who he presumed were just there to fight, who weren't special like they were. The only person who wasn't looking gloomy was Hermione, who was standing on her own, looking oddly triumphant. Draco smiled bitterly. Trust her to revel in this.  
  
Suddenly, Draco heard a strange thumping noise, getting steadily louder. He looked out over the 'battlefield' and paled at what he saw. The thumping noise was being created by hundreds of Death Eaters, marching slowly towards them. Draco took control.  
  
"Up, everybody up!" he shouted. "Get in line, you know where you're supposed to be!" Everyone around him looked at him in surprise, then did what they were told. In a few moments, everyone was standing in line, wands at the ready. The Death Eaters were getting closer. A few owls were perched in the trees above, ready to send letters to families informing them of the deaths of their relatives when the deaths started. Draco saw Harry swallow, and had to turn away. Instead, he focused on the approaching Death Eaters. Now they were close enough to see the masks on each Death Eater's face, all uniformly chilling. Draco felt his heart speed up.  
  
"Charge!" shouted someone from down the line, and everyone moved forwards. Immediately, lines of green light sped out from the Death Eaters' wands. Draco saw someone near him crumple and fall down, and concentrated all his anger.  
  
"Avada Kedavra!" he shouted, pointing his wand at the nearest Death Eater, who fell over backwards, his mask still keeping the same lack of expression. He heard a cry from somewhere near him, and despite himself, looked over to see what had happened.  
  
Harry was kneeling over Christian, who was lying limp and lifeless on the floor. He rushed over, and with the help of Harry, dragged him backwards out of the line of fire. Harry was crying helplessly, muttering 'no, no,' over and over again.  
  
"Harry!" he said, urgently. "Harry!" Harry looked up, his eyes filled with tears and his arms around Christian. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "Christian was a wonderful person." Standing up, he beckoned Hermione over, who rushed to Harry's side. With one last look at Christian, Draco moved off to send an owl. 


	14. Chapter 14

1 Chapter 14  
  
15 years had passed since the battle against Voldemort that so many people had died in. After Christian's death, both Draco and Hermione, who had survived the battle, had both spent long hours trying to console Harry, who had been consumed by grief for a long time after. Draco, with his respect for the dead and as a final tribute to Christian, had never mentioned what had been on his mind since that journey to the third floor in the lift with Harry and Christian.  
  
During the long hours he had spent with him, Draco had become with good friends with Harry, and as he had been there through the battle and Ron hadn't, Harry gradually grew away from Ron and became best friends with Draco. He still stayed friends with Ron and Hermione, but since they had become a couple, he rarely saw either of them.  
  
Harry still maintained that Christian was his one true love, and hadn't dated at all since his death. He kept the last letter he had every received from 'Christian' under his pillow. Draco had never asked to read it, and Harry had never offered, although Draco knew that Ron used to read all the letters Harry received. Harry lived on his own in a small house just out of London, but rarely went there. He preferred to order things off the internet and worked in the muggle world as a zookeeper, looking after the snakes in the reptile house. He stayed at home most of the time, occasionally going out to Quidditch matches or for meals with Draco. Draco went to visit him every Sunday around five o'clock, and would tell him all the news about what was going on in the wizarding world. Both men valued these meetings a lot, and would often reminisce together.  
  
This Sunday, Draco was on his way to Harry's when a man he hadn't seen for a long time stepped out in front of him.  
  
"Hello, Draco," he said, smiling at him as he brushed his blond hair out of his eyes. Draco was too shocked to move or speak.  
  
"I thought you were.. I thought you died in the final battle!" he finally managed to get out.  
  
"Ah yes," said the man, "most people do. Most convenient, I must say," he said, giving Draco another smile.  
  
"I have a present for you, Draco," said the man. He reached into his inside jacket pocket and took out a small silver dagger with green gems on the hilt. Draco stared at it, trying to remember where he had seen it before. While he squinted at it, the man standing opposite him moved. So swiftly Draco didn't realise what was happening until it was over, he stabbed the blade deep into Draco's stomach and withdrew it in one swift motion. Draco doubled over in pain. Looking up at the man above him, he saw that the smile was no longer friendly, but malicious and triumphant.  
  
"That's what I give to traitors, son," he snarled, and with one turn, Lucius Malfoy was gone. 


	15. Chapter 15 (The end!)

1 Chapter 15  
  
Staggering into Harry's house, he collapsed into his usual sofa. Harry didn't look up.  
  
"You're late, Mr Malfoy," he said, his tone light and amused, the exact opposite of what Draco felt. "You've never been late before."  
  
"I'm sorry, I had a visitor."  
  
"Oh really? What visitor could have been so important that you were late for me?" asked Harry in a jovial tone.  
  
"Oh, nobody you know," replied Draco with a dismissive wave of his hand. As he did so, he noticed a very crumpled and old looking piece of parchment lying on the table.  
  
"What's that?" he asked. Harry followed his gaze. He dropped his eyes to the floor.  
  
"That's Christian's last letter," he replied quietly. "I was reading it earlier, thinking some things over." Draco was silent for a moment, thinking. At last Harry spoke.  
  
"Could you do me a favour, Draco?"  
  
"Of course, what?"  
  
"Could you write down a shopping list for me as I read out what I need? I normally do it going through the fridge and then have to go and write after everything I find it, but that takes twice as long."  
  
"No problem," said Draco, forcing a grin. I just hope I can still hold a quill, he thought. Catching sight of himself in the mirror across the room, he wondered how Harry had not noticed that something was wrong; he looked so pale. As Harry went through the fridge calling out things as he went, Draco let his mind wander and wrote the list automatically. He considered whether or not to tell Harry the truth about the letters he'd written for Christian, but couldn't make up his mind. Why cause Harry more grief, when he himself was about to die in a few minutes? He didn't know why he'd gone into a public toilets to clean himself up a bit before he came to Harry's, he didn't know the reason that he wouldn't tell Harry he was dying. I guess I'm just a coward, he thought. He started as Harry came over to him, taking the list off the table in front of him.  
  
"Thanks a lot for doing this Draco, it'll make everything…" he trailed off, and stood for a moment looking from Draco to the list. Slowly, not taking his eyes away from Draco's, he moved over to the table and picked up the letter. He opened it slowly, then stood looking at the shopping list and the letter. He looked up at Draco sharply.  
  
"The writing on these two pieces of paper is the same," he said. Draco looked at the floor.  
  
"It was you, wasn't it?" Draco shook his head feebly.  
  
"No.."  
  
"It was you! All the time, all the time you were pretending to be my enemy, and then when you were my friend, you were in love with me!"  
  
"No, Harry, Christian was the one who loved you!"  
  
"You loved me, Draco! You still love me! Admit it!"  
  
"No, Harry, I'm not in love with you!"  
  
"Your protesting is growing old, Draco! Why didn't you tell me before? And why, now, have you finally decided to tell me?" Slowly, Draco lifted his hand from his t-shirt and pulled it up, revealing the bloody wound were the dagger had entered him. Harry gasped.  
  
"Draco! What happened?" Harry asked frantically.  
  
"My father stabbed me," replied Draco faintly. "You must warn people that he's still alive." He laid his head on the back of the sofa.  
  
"Draco!" cried Harry, shaking his shoulders. "Draco, I'll call an ambulance, or something, I'll.."  
  
"Don't," interrupted Draco, putting his arm on Harry's. "It's too late."  
  
"No!" wailed Harry, his eyes filling with tears. "You can't die Draco, I love you!" Draco looked at him.  
  
"I love you too, Harry," he replied. He smiled one last time at Harry, before closing his eyes and letting his head fall backwards.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Har de har I'm evil, I killed everybody off!! I'm not too keen on this story, but somebody asked me to put it back up on the website so I did. Personally, I prefer more cheerful stories! I just like Cyrano de Bergerac because it was our school play. Toodle pip!! Ooh, and thanks to everybody who reviewed, or is going to… hint hint… 


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